Snap-on handle for containers



July 19, 1966 D. SAKUTA SNAP-0N HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 27, 1964 Fig.2

Daniel Sakufa 1N VENTOR.

Mao/2%. BY M United States Patent 3,261,633 SNAP-0N HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS Daniel Sakuta, Erie, Pa., assignor to United Precision Plastics, Inc, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 355,203 4 Claims. (Cl. 294-46) This invention relates to holders for containers and more particularly to an integral handle construction adapted to be snapped onto a cylindrical type of can constituting a commonly used container for many different products.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a handle adapted'to be locked onto rigid containers of the cylindrical can type imposing a substantial load on the handle.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a handle for rigid containers adapted to be cast or otherwise formed in an economical fashion from a single integral body of elastically deformable material having a configuration and formation which will lock the handle body onto the container in a reliable manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the handle construction of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the handle prior to installation on a container.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the handle shown installed on a container.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the handle shown installed or locked to a container.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the handle construction of the present invention is generally referred to by reference numeral 16) and is adapted to be locked onto a rigid container 12 for holding the same. The container 12 is of the usual type within which products of different types are sealed. The container accordingly includes a cylindrical side wall 14- closed at opposite axial ends by circular lids 16 and 18, the lids being sealed to the cylindrical wall 14 by beaded circular rims 20 and 22.

The axially spaced rims 20 and 22 are adapted to be engaged by jaw formations 24 and 26 of the handle body, the jaw formations being resiliently interconnected by a grip portion 28 of the handle body. The grip portion is therefore connected by the upper portion 30 directly to the upper jaw formation 24 while the grip connecting portion 32 connects the grip portion to the lower jaw formation 26 in spaced relation thereto intermediate the opposite ends of the extension 36. It will therefore be apparent, that the jaw formations 24 and 26 may be elastically deflected or deformed relative to the grip portion 28 toward or away from positions engaging the fixedly spaced rims 20 and 22 of the container 12.

Connected to the upper jaw formation 24, at its juncture with the connecting portion 30, is a downwardly extending jaw deflecting extension 34. Pivotal displacement of the extension 34 in a counterclockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 for example, to the position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, would bring the jaw formation 24 into locking engagement with the upper rim 20 of the container. The lower jaw formation 26 on the other hand, is connected to the upwardly extending jaw deflecting extension 36 so that pivotal deformation or deflection of the extension 36 in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to the position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, would bring 'ice the lower jaw formation 26 into engagement with the lower rim 22. The extensions 34 and 36 engage each other intermediate the jaw formations so that the jaw formations will be deflected by the respective extensions in opposite rotational directions by a lateral force to either bring the jaw formations into engagement with the respec tive rims or out of engagement therewith.

The adjacent engaging ends of the extensions 34 and 36 are provided with hook formations 38 and 40. The hooks 38 and 40 engage each other however, only when the extensions 34 and 36 have displaced the jaw formation 24 and 26 into positions in which they would engage and lock the handle onto the rims 20 and 22. When the hooks are so interengaged as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, they will prevent any relative deflection of the extensions 34 nad 36 in directions tending to withdraw the jaw formations from the rims inasmuch as the engaging end of the extension 36 abuts the side wall 14 of the container. A rigid connection is thereby established between the jaws 24 and 26 only when mounted on the container. Also, disengagement of the hooks is prevented when the container is being supported by the handle 10. Accordingly, the handle will be reliably locked onto the container. When the hooks are disengaged as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the extensions 34 and 36 will be in deflected positions holding the jaw formations in positions for receiving the rims 20 and 22. It will therefore be apparent, that when the handle is pushed against the side wall of the container, bringing the jaw formations over the rims, the lateral force applied to extension 36 will snap the hooks onto each other so as to permit the extensions to be displaced in the proper relative directions bringing the jaw formations into engagement with the rims.

From the foregoing description, the construction and utility of the handle will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated, that the handle may be economically fabricated from a single piece of elastically deformable material. For example, a suitable plastic material may be cast into the described configuration of the: handle. The handle may also be applied to a container for which it is dimensioned in a simple fashion requiring no tools or fasteners as in prior art arrangements. Even so, the handle construction of the present invention will reliably support the loaded container without danger of the handle disengaging therefrom.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A handle for a rigid container having fixedly spaced rims comprising, a handle body made of elastically deformable material, said handle body having a pair of spaced jaw formations, a grip portion, a pair of jaw dcflecting extensions respectively connected to said jaw formations and displaceable therewith relative to the grip portion, means connecting said grip portion to one of the jaw formations and to one of the extensions spaced from the other of said jaw formations, and interengaging hook means formed on said deflecting extensions between the jaw formations for locking the jaw formations against displacement from predetermined positions when engaging the rims of a container.

2. In combination with a rigid container having fixedly spaced rims, a handle comprising, a handle body made of elastically deformable material, said handle body having spaced jaw formations resiliently interconnected by a grip portion, jaw deflecting extensions having engaging ends abutting the container between the jaw formations urging same in rim engaging directions, and load-holding hook means formed at said engaging ends of the deflecting extensions for interlocking the deflecting extensions in the engaging positions of the jaw formations to prevent deflection of said extensions.

3. In combination with a container having a pair of vertically spaced rims interconnected by a vertical wall, a handle connected to said container including a grip portion, a pair of vertically elongated extensions having 0pposite ends, a pair of jaws connected to the respective ends of said extensions remote from each other and engaging said spaced rims of the container, juncture means connecting the grip portion to one of the remote ends of one of the extensions and to the other of the extensions intermediate the opposite ends thereof, and interengaging hook means connected to the ends of the extensions adjacent to each other in abutting relation to the vertical Wall of the container.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said hook means includes a first hook member connected to the adjacent end of one of the extensions in engagement with the vertical wall preventing angular displacement of the lower jaw from a position engaging one of the rims, and a second hook member connected to the adjacent end of the other extension engaging the first hook member to hold the upper jaw in a position engaging the other of said rims.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,372 6/ 1898 Bradley 294--99 X 1,645,839 10/1927 Westerfield 29416 X 2,128,466 8/1938 Machotka 29433 3,184,101 5/1965 Pentesco 220-94 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

20 G. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HANDLE FOR A RIGID CONTAINER HAVING FIXEDLY SPACED RIMS COMPRISING, A HANDLE BODY MADE OF ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE MATERIAL, SAID HANDLE BODY HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED JAW FORMATIONS, A GRIP PORTION, A PAIR OF JAW DEFLECTING EXTENSIONS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID JAW FORMATIONS AND DISPLACEABLE THEREWITH RELATIVE TO THE GRIP PORTION, MEANS CONNECTING SAID GRIP PORTION TO ONE OF THE JAW FORMATIONS AND TO ONE OF THE EXTENSIONS SPACED FROM THE OTHER OF SAID JAW FORMATIONS, AND INTERENGAGING HOOK MEANS FORMED ON SAID DEFLECTING EXTENSIONS BETWEEN THE JAW FORMATIONS FOR LOCKING THE JAW FORMATIONS AGAINST DISPLACEMENT FROM PREDETERMINED POSITIONS WHEN ENGAGING THE RIMS OF A CONTAINER. 